Conservationists call for WA indigenous ranger pledge

The Wilderness Society (WA) Inc
Media Release
29th August 2008

The Wilderness Society today called on WA’s political parties to pledge to create 500 new Indigenous Ranger positions to protect and manage Western Australia’s extraordinary environment.

The call comes on the back of a major report released this week by Pew Environment Group and The Nature Conservancy that shows Australia’s wilderness urgently needs active land management to counter pervasive environmental threats.

Peter Robertson, WA Campaign Manager for The Wilderness Society said: “Western Australia is world renowned for our unique natural heritage. But our wildlife and our most special places such as the Kimberley and Great Western Woodlands are under ongoing threat from noxious weeds, feral animals, and poorly managed bushfires.

“Our environment needs the active management of skilled Indigenous Rangers.

“In other important outback wilderness areas around Australia such as Kakadu and Cape York, Indigenous Rangers provide a crucial environmental service. Western Australia needs to show the same commitment and build significantly on current programs.

“An expanded and improved Indigenous Ranger program would benefit all Western Australians by looking after our wild places, at the same time as providing badly needed jobs in remote Aboriginal communities.

“This election we urge all political parties to make the pledge to create a well-resourced Indigenous Ranger program, starting with 500 new jobs” concluded Mr Robertson.